Vermont head coach Kevin Sneddon has officially declined an interview for the vacant head coaching position at Harvard, ending speculation as to his candidacy for the Crimson’s open position.
Sneddon was a captain at Harvard in 1991-92, and a member of the 1989 national championship team. He took the head coaching job at Vermont last summer.
“Harvard University and its hockey program will always be dear to my heart, however, the University of Vermont has presented a great opportunity for our coaching staff as well as our student-athletes, and I am proud to be leading the program,” said Sneddon in a written statement.
“Harvard was a place where I gained valuable friendships, and life long memories. I know [Harvard athletic director] Bob Scalise will do an excellent job of finding the best coach to fit their needs.”
Harvard is in the process of looking for a new coach following the departure of Mark Mazzoleni last week. There has been speculation that Scalise is getting pressured to hire a Harvard alumnus, with sources indicating that former Harvard forward Ted Donato, who was still playing in the NHL last season, is getting serious consideration.
“As for my professional involvement, I made a commitment to UVM and plan to be here for a long time,” Sneddon added in the statement. “I quickly fell in love with the community, the alums, the staff, and most importantly, UVM’s quest for continued academic and athletic excellence. There are so many positive aspects for our program right now: the potential for a state of the art facility in the near future, great leadership from President Fogel and athletic director Dr. Robert Corran, a passionate hockey community that has always embraced our sport, and the necessary resources to be one of the top programs in the country.”
